Serious replies only: 1,500m - Breaking the 4'00" barrier - T46 Paralympic Athlete.

Small update:

Track session yesterday after almost 2 months of very little running and no track workouts. Just restarted building base since 11th January.

After a 3k & 2k repeats at steady pace I did a 1,500m time trial.

Clocked 4'45"

Still very early days, but at least I got a benchmark now and am very keen and looking forward to work hard from hereon.

Darren.

You still need to do some speed work. 62 for 400m isn't quite going to cut it for sub 4 mins. 62 could easily be the opening lap for a 3:58.

Indeed, and absolutely agree with you.. I am still in the build up phase however with 8 months to go! I definitely need to sharpen up my speedwork as I always was a half marathon distance runner... Will keep updating this post as I go along with the training.. Hopefully it will have a very sweet and happy ending come September.. :)

Thanks for taking time in commenting and sound advice.

Darren.

I agree that you shouldn't do pure speed this far from the attempted peak, but I think it is important to add little flavours of faster stuff, running shorter reps quicker than race pace such as 200m reps in 31s.

The reason I say this is because there is also no need to cram all your speed stuff into the couple of months leading into the race, attempting to get faster. It is a very old fashioned training wisdom to think that endurance takes a long time to build up and speed can be added in an instant.

For me, I have found that along with lots of volume in the winter, some faster track sessions are required to focus that endurance into running fast. You aren't sprinting here, just teaching yourself to run at a faster pace. Otherwise you are partaking in 10km to marathon training.

4:00 involves running fast, I know many sub 15 5k guys that can't manage sub 4 from their 5k-10k training.

Good luck!

Good luck with your goal, however I presume by your post that you have not represented your country at the Paralympics before? If so, you are not a Paralympic athlete and should edit your thread title.

I am a Paralympic athlete because I have an IPC ID Card.

Represented my country in Italy in May 2012 finishing 3rd overall in a 5,000m track race held at Stadio Ruffini, Turin, Italy.

Qualified for London 2012 for the T46 marathon (BQS Qualifying Standard of 3:10) and ran 3:01 in Milano City Marathon as a training run.

Due to politics, I was kept home and only a swimmer (without any qualifications however by direct invitation due to British High Commissioner of London) via wild card.

I never stop training at the track (Tuesdays & Fridays being the days) and totally agree on ideal concept of training build up you mentioned

I was severely out of shape due to a stress fracture (which kept me out for 3 1/2 months) in the shin & tibia bones after I ran the 1,500m qualifying time back in May 2015. Since then my running has suffered considerably and had other life commitments which have now stabilised and can continue concentrate on my training (whilst also working fulltime without any sponsorship schemes, yes that's how amateur Malta is unfortunately)

With regards to the shorter distances I have the following track PBs (all achieved in training since I do not race these distances in track meets etc.)

200m - 28s

400m - 60s

1,000m - 2'47"

Darren.

Small update:

Yesterday had an 8k steady on the track.. Target was to run at 3'50"/km (30'40") but finished 10" under, 30'30" hence 3'48"/km pace. Felt good and legs were turning nicely.. No lactate build up was noted today and am feeling fresh both in terms of legs/energy levels and am looking forward for another training week!

Today, I ran an easy 20k long run at 4'45"/km pace just to bump up the mileage & work my aerobic base.

Pleased to have managed two double sessions this week (8k each, morning run for work).. Hopefully will manage to incorporate a few more (maybe 3/4) which will eventually help total 130k+/wk

As of next week I will be incorporating gym sessions (twice) and also 1 plymetric session on the grass + core training.

Total mileage for the week went up to 95k as opposed to 78k last week.

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment/reply with your insights/thoughts..

Darren.

Is 130km a week not excessive for the 1500m?

Good 8k tempo, maybe you should be entering the 5km? Might be your natural event.

Thanks for the reply MM..

As I posted earlier on, this is just the building phase, hence focusing on volume rather than quality.. High mileage is my friend, and I always perform well when I have a consistent cycle of 100k/week for 4 wks or more..

PS. My 8k PB stands at 27'10" so am really far off shape as to where I was last May.

With regards to 5,000m, I have 16'34" (track) & 16'37" on the roads.

Without ever focusing on speedwork/strength (required for the middle distance) and being a full time employee who runs amateur, 4'17" as a training run was a surprise to me (in my physical conditions too.)

Just as soon as we started changing our training program and focusing on the 1k repeats 200/400/800 intervals etc, I succumbed to a shin & tibia stress fracture on my left leg (again due to the difference in balance/torque produced by the left limb as opposed to the right one.)

This is my facebook:

www.facebook.com/runningvandit

A very important confidence booster yesterday at the track:

Ran 15k (negative split of 1'28") steady in 58'13" (averaging 3'52"/km) in comfort and medium effort.. Happy to be coming back nicely in shape endurance wise, and am looking forward to commence proper speed/sharp training workouts as of next month!

Keep you posted with further updates shortly :)

Hopefully with hard consistent and smart work and build up, I shall reach my goal and achieve my dreams! :)

Darren.

Looks good, you are certainly in better than 16:30 shape.

Update after some 1500 specific sessions.

Good luck

Many thanks Metric Miler.. however I don't feel that I am in shape for 16'30" for 5,000m.. If anything around 17'15" not more.. Have done a 5,000m time trial on the roads 2 weeks ago and I ran 18'40".. Felt like I was going to explode.. Yes the form might come back quicker, with consistent training weeks.. but as I said, I am not confident of going sub 17' any soon (unfortunately, but realistically speaking)

Today is my third track session of the week.

In 3 weeks time we have the Malta Half Marathon event however I have not yet applied for it.. Still debating whether I should run it or not.. It's Malta's largest running event.. so I would be disappointed missing the largest local running event of the year.. Last year I ran 1:16'40" & I would hate running anything less than 1' slower than that time.. Maybe the next 2 huge weeks coming up shall clarify whether I should go for it or not.. The exposure we athletes get is quite big, so being an unsponsored athlete and doing well/bad can result in +/- effect.

Yet looking at the bigger picture, track is what is most important, and getting it right at the Rio Paralympic Games and European Championships in Grosseto (June '16) is what matters most.

That said, I am very pleased with the late progress.. My body is holding very well with the training, and am building confidence and happiness in terms of running week in/week out..

Thank you for your support, and for dedicating time in replying to my blog.

Darren.

2 weeks is a long time, it is certainly possible you have improved since then.

Anyway if you are doing 15km tempo runs and 100km weeks, I see no reason you cannot do the half marathon. I do not see why this would affect your Olympic preparations, you are currently doing training similar to a 10km runner so a half would not kill you.

I also don't think running well or badly in a half marathon will change any expectations of you over 1500m.

Agreed with everything you said.. Maybe I should just apply for the race and enjoy the run.. Whatever the result, it won't differ/effect the 1,500m preparations.. I should take it as a great Sunday long run workout which for sure will benefit in terms of LT/AnA/VO2 max levels.

As of this month (and never before) I shall be including strength training and plymetrics on the grass pitch we have at the track.. My body strength is very weak, despite my running technique/form is quite fine:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155175689810008&set=a.10150296396255008.536612.872190007

I will keep updating this running blog.. Looking forward for more replies and getting on this thread more popular as I would love to hear LRs users opinion, suggestions & ideas of how to go for the dream :)

Darren.

You should focus on getting your 800m time down primarily.

I see your biggest weakness as being your 400/800 times and your natural speed. I think you have plenty of endurance to run a low 4:00 1500m.

But I cannot see how you could run 4:00 without being able to run a 2:00 800m. I recognise you intend on adding the speed later, but don't underestimate the difficulty in going from 2:10 to 2:00; especially if you aren't naturally fast.

Endurance alone will not cut it, speed and speed endurance will take time and effort to develop.

Please remember that I have a disability in my left arm... + weak legs.. Let's get those lower limbs rock solid, powerful and more flexible (as I neglected a lot of stretching in the past)

I shall do 400 repeats with longer recovery but at 95% of MHR. Before I used to do 12 x 400 in 75" with 200m in 1' as recovery jog.. Perhaps trying 10 x 400 at 65" with 3' recovery in between shall be the first step in getting those shorter distances faster.

Darren.

I am just giving you the advice that I would to any athlete trying to break 4 minutes. I have seen low 15 minute 5k runners fail to break 4.

I do not know how your disability affects you (I don't know any disabled athletes), I am simply stating that you need to be in 2:00/2:01 shape before attempting a sub 4 1500m.

That 400m session looks good, I would suggest doing just 8 reps to begin with.

Good luck.

I appreciate your input and feedback MM & agree that I should be hitting 2'00" flat for 800m should I wish to break the 4'00" barrier.. I know of athletes who have run 1'57" for 800m yet have managed to run only 4'03" for the 1,500m distance!

Running update for the week:

Monday: 15k (with 3 x 2k w/1' recovery): 7'27" - 7'18" - 7'08"

Tuesday: Off (dental appointment so couldn't run due to anaesthesia)

Wednesday: 20k (track workout - 15k in 58'13", averaging 3'52"/km pace)

Thursday: 13k easy recovery at 4'55"/km

Friday: 16k (4 x 2k w/1' recovery): 7'38" - 7'27" - 7'17" - 7'09"

Saturday: 12k easy recovery @ 5'00"/km

Sunday: 16k easy w/last 3k in steady progression 4'00"/3'50"/3'40"

That's 92k of running for the week and woke up today feeling brilliant :)

In plan for this week is a 10 mile tempo (Wednesday) of the Malta Half Marathon route, 2 track workouts & 1 steady long run (Sunday). Very easy running in between + 2 booked massages.

After the MHM (scheduled for the 28/02) I will be putting on the spikes and get some decent speed work going.

Would love to get your feedback and thoughts of how the past running week went and what are your suggestions/recommendations from hereon.

Darren.